Adjustable magazine creel for knitting machines



Oct. 16, 1951 R. M. BENNETT ADJUSTABLE MAGAZINE CREEL FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed 00123, 948

2 SHEETS-SHEET l 'Tfs Z4 INVENTOR.

RALPH M. BENNE rr.

ATTORNEY.

Oct. 16, 1951 R. M. BENNETT ADJUSTABLE MAGAZINE CREEL FOR KNITTING MACHINES 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Oct. 23, 1948 ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 16, 1951 ADJUSTABLE MAGAZINE CREEL FOR KNITTING MACHINES Ralph M. Bennett, New Bedford, Mass, assignor to Kilburn Mill, Bristol County, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application October 23, 1948, Serial No. 56,228

8 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in knitting machines and more particularly, to the circular type of machine, in which the yarn cones are held, on a rack, high above the operator for unobstructed passage :beneath. Her-etofore when one of the yarn cones was almost used up, the operator had to climb a stool or step to reach the end of the used up yarn cone, soas to tie the same to a full yarn cone. This is a cumbersome procedure and at times very dangerous, since the operator is apt to misjudge a step.

It i therefore an object of this invention to provide a yarn rack, which can be individually and readily lowered for securing the end of the used up or running out yarn to the full yarncone.

It is another object of this invention, to provide a yarn rack capable of holding a plurality of operating cones with the same number of sparecones to permit uninterrupted operation of the knitting machine.

It is still another object of this invention to provide supporting means for the yarn cones whereby the center line of each cone and spare cone will run through the same eyelet in the guide rod.

It i a still further object of this invention to provide lowering means for the yarn racks on a circular knitting machine; the mechanism including anti-friction bearings to facilitate the upand-down movement of the racks, as well as secure locking means to retain the racks in their respective position.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following disclosure thereof together .with the attached drawings which illustrate a certain form of embodiment thereof. This form is shown for the purpose of illustrating the invention since the same has been found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which the invention consists can be variously arranged and organized and that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and organization of the instrumentalities as herein shownand described.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a portion of a circular knitting machine, partly diagrammatic and partly broken away, incorporating the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view, taken on lines 22 of Fig. 1, with a rack in its normal upward position, showing one cone about to be used up and ready to be tied to the spare cone;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, with the rack in its lowered position and showing the new yarn the mechanism in its lowered locked position and the bearing cover plate in place;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspective fragmentary view of the locking mechanism in exploded position; and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the locking mechanism showing the locking arm in the position when holding the rack up, as in Figs. 2 and 4.

Referring to the drawings more specifically, the yarn magazine l5 consists of two supporting rings l6, I! which in turn are secured to the conventional knitting machine l8 by supporting shafts IS. The yarn magazine consists of a plurality of individual racks, extending in a spoke-like fashion or radial planes from acommon center, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The number-of racks is determined by the size and type of machine and does not form a part of the invention. Y

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 3, i-nelusive, each rack 20 is shown as having two operating yarn cones 2i, 2 la andtwo spare yarn cones 22. Although, two of the yarncones '21 are designated as operating and the other two 22 as spares, it is understood, however, that this'is done for purpose of illustration only, since the spare yarn cone will become the operating yarn cone, while a new spare cone will replace the empty cone 2|a which was formerly the operating cone. The yarn cones 2 l 2 I a, 22 are mounted on an arm 23, preferably made of angle iron section. This arm 23 is secured by a bracket 24 to the sliding upright member 25. A brace 26 supports the arm 23 in its position. The upright is part of the ball bearing unit 21 which consists of the two side walls 28 and 29 secured to the uprights 25 by means of bolts 30. Two antifriction bearings, such as ball bearings 3| are suspended on the shafts 32 between the two walls 28 and 29 in such a manner, that the ball bearings will roll between two track members 33 and 34. These track members 33 and 34 are secured between supporting rings l6 and I1. Bushings 35 are provided to receive additional bolts 36.

The side wall 29, is cut out at the bottom on the left side as at 31 to accommodate the locking arm 38. As seen in Figs. 3 and 5 an additional stop, as finger 39, holds the ball bearing unit 21 in its lowered position. The locking arm 38 is swingably mounted in the bottom tie member 40 by means of a shoulder bolt 4 l. A portion of the side 42 is cut away, as at 43, to permit the arm 38 to swing freely in and out of its locking position. A handle 44 is provided to facilitate the operation of the locking arm 38. Secured to an upright member 45 is a guide rod 46 having two eyelets 41 and 48. Each of these eyelets 41 and 48 will accommodate the yarn from two cones, one operating and one spare 2|, 22, respectively. Since it is essential that the center line of the yarn cone is in line with its respective eyelet, it is necessary to mount one of the two yarn cones at an angle, as at 49. T the upper tie member 50 is secured a spring bracket 5| from which is suspended in tension spring 52. The lower end of this tension spring 52 is secured to a bracket 53 which in turn is securely bolted to the bracket 24. The operation is as follows:

The operator watching the knitting machine, will notice when one of the yarn cones is running out of material. She will be ready at that point to pull down the respective rack 20 from the position shown in Fig. 2 to position in Fig. 3. For that purpose the operator will move the locking arm 38 out of the engagement with the bottom of the upright member 25 (Fig. 7) and pull against the spring 52, until the rack has reached the lowermost position (Fig. 3). The locking arm 38 is now moved into the cutout 31 and forward against the stop 39 (Fig. 5). She can now tie the free end 54 of the running out yarn (Fig. 2) to the free end of the new spare yarn 55 and tie a knot 56. The lever 38 is now released permitting the rack 20 to be pulled back by the spring 52, when the locking arm 38 is again placed into position shown in Fig. 7.

It is thus seen that the present invention comprises a simple and practical adjustable magazine creel for multiple knitting machines.

Without further analysis the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting certain features that, from the standpoint of the prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalency of the following claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a knitting machine; a fixed vertical guide member, a carriage movable vertically on said guide member, a horizontal arm extending from said carriage for supporting a plurality of cones whereby said arm may be moved from a raised horizontal plane to a lowered horizontal plane, and spring means constantly urging said arm towards said raised horizontal plane.

2. In a knitting machine; the combination set forth in claim 1, including locking means engageable with said carriage adapted to retain said arm in the lowered horizontal plane against the action of said spring means.

3. In a knitting machine; the combination set forth in claim 1, including first locking means adapted to maintain said arm in the raised horizontal plane, and second locking means adapted to retain said arm in the lowered horizontal plane against the action of said spring means, said first and second locking means having at least one common member.

4. In a knitting machine having a frame; vertical guide means on said frame, a carriage mounted on said guide means and movable vertically along the latter, a horizontal arm extending from said carriage for supporting a plurality of cones whereby said arm may be moved from a raised horizontal plane to a lowered horizontal plane, and spring means interposed between said frame and said carriage constantly urging the latter upwardly for assisting movement of said arm to the raised horizontal plane.

5. In a knitting machine having a frame; the combination as set forth in claim 4, wherein said guide means includes a pair of spaced apart vertical tracks, and wherein said carriage includes a pair of tandem disposed anti-friction rollers engaging between said pair of tracks.

6. In a knitting machine having a frame; the combination as set forth in claim 4 including first locking means adapted to maintain said arm in the raised horizontal plane, and second locking means adapted to retain said arm in the lowered horizontal plane against the action of said spring means.

7. In a knitting machine having a frame; the combination as set forth in claim 4 wherein said carriage includes a pair of spaced apart plates receiving said guide means therebetween, and a vertical member depending from said plates, and including a locking arm swingable in a horizontal plane and pivoted on said frame, said locking arm in one position being adapted to underlie the lower end of said vertical member of said carriage for maintaining said horizontal arm in the raised plane, a keeper formed in one of said plates substantially above said lower end of said vertical member, said locking arm in another position thereof being adapted to engage in said keeper for retaining said horizontal arm in the lowered plane against the action of said spring means.

8. In a knitting machine having a frame; the combination as set forth in claim 7, wherein said guide means includes a pair of spaced apart vertical tracks, and wherein said carriage includes a pair of tandem spaced anti-friction rollers journalled between said plates and engaging between said spaced apart tracks.

RALPH M. BENNETT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,428,573 Witherell Sept. 12, 1922 2,451,673 Grove Oct. 19, 1948 

